On October 26, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were 6-2 and seemed to have the NFC South Division title in their lockbox.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was being touted as MVP material, and head coach Todd Bowles seemed like a top-tier choice for Coach of the Year honors.
And then the roof caved in.
Tampa Bay has lost seven of its most recent eight games, and Mayfield has reverted to what many believe are his factory settings.
Now the Buccaneers must beat the upstart Carolina Panthers to salvage the division title, pending potentially obscure tiebreakers involving the Atlanta Falcons.
Carolina head coach Dave Canales should be in the mix for Coach of the Year honors. Canales took over a bottom-feeding franchise and has them controlling their own playoff destiny.
For the first time in eight years, the Panthers are a serious playoff contender and are earning respect from fans and gamblers.
Saturday’s game between the Panthers and Buccaneers is a virtual playoff game. Thus, betting activity and viewership will be large for this ABC and ESPN showcase.
Get the latest NFL Week 18 news, check out the current betting lines for the games, and don’t miss the football action, all with the best odds at BookMaker!
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds at Bookmaker
Raymond James Stadium is the venue for the matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Kickoff time is at 4:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC and ESPN.
Oddsmakers opened with Tampa Bay as a 3-point favorite and Carolina as a 3-point dog.
Tampa Bay is a -158 moneyline favorite with Carolina as a +134 moneyline dog.
Tampa Bay and Carolina opened with a total of 43.5.
Although the Buccaneers are slumping, they will still get their share of support from gamblers as the 4-time defending NFC South Division champions playing at home.
Despite its improvement, Carolina still has a negative brand in the eyes of the casual sector.
Bargain hunters will consider Carolina and the points based on the momentum of both teams.
Carolina Panthers
Raymond James Stadium is the venue for the matchup between the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Kickoff time is at 4:30 p.m. ET with television coverage on ABC and ESPN.
Oddsmakers opened with Tampa Bay as a 3-point favorite and Carolina as a 3-point dog.
Tampa Bay is a -158 moneyline favorite with Carolina as a +134 moneyline dog.
Tampa Bay and Carolina opened with a total of 43.5.
Although the Buccaneers are slumping, they will still get their share of support from gamblers as the 4-time defending NFC South Division champions playing at home.
Despite its improvement, Carolina still has a negative brand in the eyes of the casual sector.
Bargain hunters will consider Carolina and the points based on the momentum of both teams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 20-17 against the Miami Dolphins as 5.5-point road favorites. The game went under the total of 44.
As a result, Tampa Bay is 7-9 straight up, 5-11 against the spread, and 8-8 over/under the total.
Tampa Bay ranks 22nd for total offense, 20th for passing, 22nd for rushing, 19th for scoring, and 8th for fewest turnovers committed.
Tampa Bay ranks 20th for total defense, 26th vs. the pass, 7th vs. the rush, 23rd for fewest points allowed, and 12th for takeaways.
Tampa Bay has covered only one of its most recent 10 games, with eight consecutive failures to cover the spread. Tampa Bay went under the total in two of its last two matchups.
Panthers at Buccaneers Betting Trends
Carolina went under the total in four of their last five games.
Carolina covered six of its last nine games against NFC South Division opponents.
Tampa Bay went under the total in four of its most recent six games.
The Buccaneers and Panthers went over the total in eight of their last 12 meetings.
Tampa Bay failed to cover eight of its last nine home games.
Tampa Bay went over the total in eight of its last 11 NFC South matchups.
Carolina and Tampa Bay went over the total in five of their last five meetings at Raymond James Stadium.
Panthers at Buccaneers Best Bets
As mentioned earlier, the Buccaneers are drowning gamblers in red ink.
Tampa Bay’s confidence is shattered.
The Bucs have no business being favored in what looks like an even game.
Main Pick: Carolina Panthers
Over/Under Pick: Over the Total
Player Prop Picks: Baker Mayfield Under the Passing Yards and TD Pass Totals
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